Our journey began about six months ago in a classroom at KTC in Karlstad, Sweden. One of our teachers introduced us to the Erasmus project explaining that we could carry out a foreign internship in Italy or Malta if we applied with an CV and a motivation letter. It sounded great, and probably a bit scary in some minds. Time flies, as always during school and especially during the winter holidays, and by the 26th of mars six students departured from Arlanda airport with their aim set on Bologna, Italy.

From Sweden to the Convento Frati Cappuccini in Cesena

Later that night we arrived at our accommodation in Cesena, which wasn’t an average hostel, but an eight-hundred-year-old monastery. This monastery is called Convento frati Cappuccini and is located at the top of a hill, with a surrounding view over Cesena. Although the one kilometer climbing was exhausting, the astonishing view and the nearby medieval castle made the effort well worth it. The old buildings and garden was attended by a few monks who welcomed us with open arms and a noticeable warmth, they would later assist us with everything from medicine to Wi-Fi.

Before we came to Italy we didn’t know that much about our daily routines, such as our work situations, time table, transport and even where to purchase necessities. But we didn’t need to worry because the first Monday we met up with Uniser that told us everything we needed to know. They told us how the transport worked, that the ones of us that needed to catch a bus to work would get a bus card. They would even follow us the following day to work to see that we found our way there and that we would be taking care of.

None of us students worked at the same place, everyone was assigned a separate internship at a company. Where we ended up depended on what kind of work branch we read in school. Some of us ended up at architecture companies and others worked in the production or design industry. The work tasks varied for us, but many of us worked with computer programs. Selma who worked in Excel sat mostly and put in values. Emma did drawings of a house using AutoCad. Malin worked in the 3D-programme SolidWorks where she sketched products that dentists give to their patients. Rickard built a house in SketchUp. Emelie did advertisement for an architecture company. Birger got to work as an operator at a metal workshop. A couple of us also got to visit construction sites.

Even though we spent a lot of time at our different internships, we also had time for fun. Our free time was a great opportunity to go on some sightseeing and we visited places like Milano, Forli, Rimini and the micro country San Marino. Usually we traveled by train, but there was no problem what so ever to get from point A to B with a bus. The days when we didn’t plan any trips was lovely as well, mainly because Cesena was a wonderful city where you could go shopping or just relaxing in one of the wifi zones. There was a ton of different activities you could attend to, with your own creativity and devotion as your biggest obstacles.
This Journey has now ended and all of us are safe and sound back in Sweden. Returning to our ordinary life with a newly received confidence and with a melancholy feeling. We all agree that this experience was a positive one and that if we could, we all would do it again. Thanks a lot Cesena!